Printing control method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A printing control method and apparatus for combining forms data and printing data to produce and output printing images. Forms data are handled as a group of forms data including a plurality of component data groups forming partial form elements and component placement information groups specifying intra-page positions of components. For form selection, component placement selection information is selected in the printing data. Component placement information selected and indicated by this component placement selection information is used for form generation. If a plurality of components are the same in partial form elements, therefore, a plurality of kinds of forms data can use components in common and are administered by only component placement information specifying intra-page positions of respective components. As for forms data needed at the time of printing, therefore, components of form elements are placed and combined in accordance with the component placement information. Combined forms data thus generated and printing data are converted into printing images and outputted. As a result, there are obtained a printing control method and apparatus in which forms data are administered efficiently and used effectively.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/797,318, filed on Nov.25, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,368.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a printing control method, andapparatus, and in particular to a printing control method, andapparatus, for efficiently administering a plurality of forms data toallow effective use in exercising printing control for producing imagedata of printing images from printing data by using forms data.

In exercising printing control for producing image data of printingimages from printing data by using forms data in the prior art, formsdata are prepared beforehand and a printing control apparatus combinesthe forms data with the printing data to produce image data of printingimages. In a slip printing method for performing printing on slips,chits or the like by using forms data, only a partial form amendmentssuch as processing of deleting ruled line data included in forms data inresponse to printing data for the purpose of making printed matter easyto see as described in JP-A-1-246627, for example, are possible.However, overall amendments of the form such as placement changes ofruled line frames or head characters are impossible. That is to say,partial amendments of the form are possible at the time of printing, butoverall amendments of the form such as placement changes of ruled lineframes or head characters are impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In slip printing control for performing form document printing on slipsby using forms data as in the above described prior art, placementchanges of ruled line frames or head characters are impossible. Ifplacement of partial components such as head characters or ruled lineframes needs to be changed, for example, forms data with completely thesame components data as those before the change, other than data ofthose components to be changed, had to be newly produced to accomplishthe desired change. Furthermore, if placement of components on a pagewas to be changed even if the shapes and sizes of individual components(such as ruled line frames or head characters) placed on the printingpage did not need to be changed, new forms data with changes inallotment of data components whose placement is to be changed had to beproduced. That is to say, a change of a component or placement in formsdata meant completely remaking forms data. Therefore, the efficiency ofform change processing is low. Furthermore, forms data resourcesattendant upon storing each successively form change made results inreduced efficiency of the storage device of the system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing controlmethod, and apparatus, for efficiently administering a plurality offorms data to allow effective use in exercising printing control forproducing image data of printed images from printing data by using formsdata.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing controlmethod, and apparatus, whereby printed matter having different componentdisplacement can be obtained from one forms data without replacing theforms data.

Still another object of the present invention is to improve theefficiency of form change processing, reduce the capacity of forms datawithin the system, and improve the use efficiency of the storage deviceof the system.

In form document printing control for selecting a plurality of kinds offorms used as the form document at the time of printing, combining thoseforms with printing data, and outputting printing images, a printingcontrol method and apparatus according to the present invention forachieving the above described objects provides a group of forms dataincluding components placement information specifying a plurality ofcomponents, which are partial form elements, and placement of componentson a page as forms data, placing and combining, at the time of printing,form elementary components included in the group of forms data on thebasis of component placement selection information, i.e., form selectioninformation, and generating combined forms data.

Thereby forms data are handled as a group of forms data including aplurality of groups of component data which are partial form elementsand a group of component placement information pieces specifyingplacement of components within a page. If a plurality of componentswhich are partial form elements are the same in a plurality of kinds offorms data, therefore, components can be used in common and componentsare administered by only the component placement information specifyingplacement of respective components within a page. Therefore, forms dataneeded at the time of printing is derived by placing and combiningcomponents, which are elements of the form, in accordance with componentplacement information and outputted as forms data.

Forms data are thus handled as a group of forms data by providing ahierarchical structure. One hierarchy is formed by a group of componentdata for generating components such as head characters or ruled lineframes which can be handled as one collection within a slip. The otherhierarchy is formed by a group of component placement information piecesof intra-page placement for specifying how components included in theslip are placed in each page. In printing data for selecting a form,component placement selection information for selecting and indicatingcomponent placement information is provided. Each printing data selectscomponent placement information on the basis of its own componentplacement selection information. Therefore, combination and placementare determined for each of the components included as forms data, andcomponents printed by printing data are used in common.

In exercising form document printing control including the steps ofselecting a plurality of kinds of forms data used as form documents atthe time of printing, combining those forms data with printing data, andoutputting printing images, a plurality of kinds of forms data in useare administered efficiently and can be used effectively. Further, incase printed matters having different component placements are to beobtained from one forms data, it is sufficient to prepare a plurality ofcomponent placement information pieces so that they may differ only incomponent placement information, and printing control can be exercisedwithout replacing forms data. Even in processing of changing the form,it is sufficient to prepare only the component placement information tobe converted, resulting in an improved efficiency of form changeprocessing. Further, even in case of a plurality of forms, only thecomponent placement information is needed and hence the capacity offorms data within the system can be reduced, resulting in an improveduse efficiency of the storage device of the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for illustrating a printing control methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group of forms data forspecifying a plurality of forms;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of printing data using thegroup of forms data shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating manipulation for allocating componentsinto a page of printed matter in accordance with component allocationinformation;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a principal part of aprinting control apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating processing of generating combined formsdata in a combined forms data generation intermediate processing buffer;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure in casevariable data are so set as to correspond to individual component dataincluded in forms data;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a technique forallocating variable data a in a component A;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for illustrating another example of the techniquefor allocating the variable a in the component A; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of printing data setting in caseprinting control with the number of printed matters so specified as tocorrespond to respective forms is exercised.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be describedconcretely by referring to drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing formadministration system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. In form printing control using forms data and printing data,the block diagram of FIG. 1 shows the flow of entire processing forselecting and indicating a kind of printed matter on the basis of theprinting data, exercising printing control by using the forms data, andobtaining printed matter.

With reference to FIG. 1, numeral 1 denotes a group of forms data, 2 agroup of component data, and 3 a group of component placementinformation pieces. Numeral 4 denotes printing data, 5 componentplacement selection information, and 6 variable data. Further, 7adenotes a printed matter I, 7b a printed matter II, 7c a printed matterIII, 8a combined forms data I, 8b combined forms data II, and 8ccombined forms data III.

The forms data group 1 includes the component data group 2 and thecomponent placement information group 3. The component data group 2includes respective component data (such as component A, component B,component C and component D), which are form elements of forms data. Thecomponent placement information group 3 includes component placementinformation (such as component placement information I, componentplacement information II, and component placement information III) forcombining respective components forming form elements of the forms dataand specifying intra-page position of respective components. As forcomponent placement information, a plurality of component placementinformation pieces (component placement information I, componentplacement information II, and component placement information III) areso provided as to correspond to combined forms data (combined forms dataI, combined forms data II, and combined forms data III) respectivelyhaving needed component placements.

In order to perform form document printing; component placementselection information 5 and variable data 6 are provided in the printingdata 4. If desired component placement information I is selected byselection and specification based upon the component placement selectioninformation 5 of the printing data 4, combined forms data I (8a) isformed by combining the component placement information I with componentdata (component A, component C, and component D) needed by thatcomponent placement information I. By using the combined forms data I(8a) thus formed, form document printing control is exercised togetherwith the variable data 6 of data to be printed. Printing is performed inaccordance with allocation information for individual componentsincluded in the component placement information I.

As a result, there is obtained the printed matter I (7a), on which thecomponent A, the component C, and the component D are disposed inpredetermined positions of the page, and the variable data 6 is printed.By only changing the selection specification of the component placementselection information 5 of the printing data 5 in this case, thecomponent placement information II is selected and the combined formsdata II (8b) is formed, resulting in the printed matter II (7b) havingdifferent components and placement. If the component placement selectioninformation 5 selects the component placement information III in thesame way, the combined forms data III (8c) is formed and the printedmatter III (7c) having different components and placement is obtained.

By only thus changing the kind of component placement informationselected and indicated by the component placement selection information5 which is form selection information included in the printing data 4,the component placement or the component combination can be changedwithout changing forms data at all.

Each component data (the component A, component B, component C, andcomponent D) included in the combined forms data is data for generatingcomponents which are formed by ruled lines, character data, or the likeand which can be handled as one collection in the form in the same wayas the component data group 2. Further, component data may includegraphic data and picture data.

Further, the combined forms data includes component placementinformation prescribing how respective components generated byrespective component data are disposed on the page. For obtaining threekinds of different printed matters I to III from one forms data group I,for example, the forms data group 1 includes the component placementinformation I to the component placement information III prescribingplacement of components in respective printed matters and the componentdata (the component A, component B, component C and component D) neededby respective component placement information pieces. As for the numberof component data used in common by respective component placementinformation pieces in this case, one will suffice. Component data usedby respective component placement information pieces need not be soprovided as to correspond to the component placement information I tothe component placement information III.

Individual component data are independent of each other. Even ifcomponents are moved in the page, the relative positional relation ofinternal data of components such as ruled line frames remains unchangedand other components are not influenced by it. In case of characters,for example, allocation coordinates of character data included incomponent data are specified as relative coordinates for allocation datain components from the allocation origin. Therefore, necessary componentdata and necessary component placement information are included in theforms data group 1. By only selecting and indicating, at the time ofprinting, component placement information specified by componentplacement selection information included in the printing data, which isto be used by component placement information included in that formsdata, component placement and component combination of printed mattercan be changed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a group of forms datacapable of coping with a plurality of forms. FIG. 3 is a diagram showingan example of printing data using the group of forms data shown in FIG.2.

As shown in FIG. 2, a group of forms data 20 includes a page placementsection 21 and a group of component data 22. In the page placementsection 21, component placement information 23 of respective printingpage is included. Herein, component placement information I to componentplacement information III are provided as the component placementinformation 23. In the component data group 22, component data A tocomponent data D respectively generating respective components areprovided as the component data 26. The component data A includes anidentifier 27 for discriminating itself from other component data, shapedata 28 concerning the shape of that component such as the componentsize, and fixed data 29. Herein, the fixed data 29 refers to characters,figures, picture data, etc. used as fixed form like ruled lines and headcharacters, and it refers to fixed data A to be printed in the componentA. Further, allocation of the fixed data 29 in the component A isspecified by relative specification for allocation data in the componentA from the allocation origin. Thereby the fixed data A is fixed withrespect to the component A. Even if movement or rotation is performed inthe page with respect to the component A, therefore, the fixed data Amoves or rotates together with the component A and alteration such asdata amendment of fixed data A attendant upon it is not present. In thesame way, each of the component data B, component data C, and componentdata D has an identifier 27, shape data 27, and fixed data 29 for thecomponent.

Together with an identifier 24, component allocation information 25prescribing component placement for respective components needed toprint printed matter is provided in the component placement information23. In the component placement information I for printing the printedmatter I, for example, component allocation information A, componentallocation information C, and component allocation information Dindicating placement allocation of respective components for thecomponent A, component C, and component D are provided together with anidentifier I specified when the component placement information to beused in the printing data is selected and indicated.

The component allocation information 25 includes information such as acomponent name 25a indicating a component provided by it in theallocation information, an allocation position 25b of the component inthe page, a rotation angle 25c of the component from the erect state atthe time of page allocation, and a compression/expansion factor 25d ofthe component at the time of page allocation. If the componentallocation information A is so specified as to have component A as thecomponent name 25a by specification of identifier A, (x_(A), y_(A)) asthe allocation position 25b of the component A, 0 degree as the rotationangle 25c, and 100% as the compression/expansion factor 25d, thecomponent A is allocated to a predetermined position of the printedmatter I as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating manipulation for allocating componentsinto a page of printed matter in accordance with the componentallocation information. As shown in FIG. 4, allocation is performed sothat the leftmost top end of the component A may be positioned in anallocation position relatively specified with the leftmost top end of aprinted matter 40 defined as a page origin 41. In this case, placementis conducted by carrying out shape manipulations of rotation angle andcompression/expansion factor. By way of example, it is now assumed thatthe allocation information A is specified as follows.

Allocation position: (x_(A), y_(A))

Rotation angle: 0 degree

Compression/expansion factor: 100%

Allocation is performed on the printed matter I so that the leftmost topend of the component A may be positioned in a position havingcoordinates (x_(A), y_(A)) from the page origin 41 located at theleftmost top end of the printing page. Since the shape manipulation forthe component A is 0 degree in rotation angle and 100% incompression/expansion factor, the component A is so disposed as to beerected with its size unchanged.

In order to indicate the form to be used when the printing data isprinted, printing data 30 includes a placement selection section 31 forindicating placement of the component in the page included in the formsdata group (20 of FIG. 2) and variable data 32 including characters,figures and picture data to be so printed as to be inserted into ruledline frames of respective components of the forms data, as shown in FIG.3. In the placement selection section 31, a component placementselection information 33 for selecting and indicating componentplacement information to be used for printing is provided. Herein, anidentifier I is specified by a component placement informationspecification section 34 as the component placement selectioninformation 33. Thereby, selection of the component placementinformation having the same identifier I in the forms data group (20 ofFIG. 2) is indicated.

Operation of the processing for printing the printed matter I will nowbe described briefly by referring to the forms data group (20 of FIG. 2)and the printing data (30 of FIG. 3).

The printing data 30, which has specified the identifier I in thecomponent placement selection information 33 in the placement selectionsection 31, is printed in accordance with the component placementinformation I, which has specified the identifier I in the pageplacement section 21 in the forms data group 20. In the componentplacement information I, the component allocation information A, thecomponent allocation information C and the component allocationinformation D, which have respectively specified the identifier A, theidentifier C and the identifier D in the field of the component name25a, are included. This means that the component A, the component C andthe component D are used when the printed matter is printed.

The component A is generated by the component data A specified by theidentifier A in the component data group 22 of the forms data group 20.The component data A is allocated to the page of the printed matter I inaccordance with the indication of the allocation position 25b, therotation angle 25c and the compression/expansion factor 25d included inthe component allocation information A, which has specified theidentifier A in the component name 25a of the component placementinformation I. With respect to the component C and the component D aswell, allocation is performed by similar manipulations. That is to say,the component C is allocated to the page in accordance with thecomponent allocation information, C, and the component D is allocated tothe page in accordance with the component allocation information D.

Further, the variable data 32 within the printing data 30 is allocatedto a predetermined position of the pertinent page in accordance withrespective allocation specifications.

In case the printing data 30 is to be printed by such manipulations, thecomponent placement information I of the forms data 20 is selected andspecified by the component placement selection information 33 specifiedby the printing data 30. The component placement information I selectsthe component A, the component C and the component D, which are formelements in form printing, and specifies placement positions of them.Together with the variable data 32 of the printing data 30, therefore,the component A, the component C and the component D are placed inpredetermined positions of the page. The printed matter I is thusobtained.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a principal partof a printing control apparatus exercising printing control according tothe present invention. In FIG. 5, numeral 50 denotes an externalapparatus, 51 a printing control apparatus, 52 a forms data groupstorage, 53 a printing data storage, 54 a combined forms data generationintermediate processing buffer, 55 a page data storage, 56 a characterpattern storage, and 57 a printing apparatus.

Printing control operation performed in the printing control apparatus51 will now be described in brief. The printing control apparatus 51receives the forms data group from the external apparatus 50 and storesit into the forms data group storage 52. Thereafter, the printingcontrol apparatus 51 receives printing data and stores it into theprinting data storage 53. Thereby printing operation is started. In theforms data group stored in the forms data group storage 52, componentdata and component placement information required to obtain a pluralityof kinds of printed matter are mixed together. In accordance with thecomponent placement selection information included in the placementselection section of printing data stored in the printing data storage53, the combined forms data generation intermediate processing buffer 54selects component placement information from the forms data group storedin the forms data group storage 52, thus performs intermediateprocessing of selecting component data for the pertinent page (for oneprinted matter), and stores the component placement information andcomponent data together. The component placement information andcomponent data forming the combined forms data for one page taken as theunit stored in the combined forms data generation intermediateprocessing buffer 54 are supplied to the page data storage 55, combinedwith variable data stored in the printing data storage 53, furtherconverted into a dot pattern, and then stored into the page data storage55. Into the page data storage 55, dot pattern data for printed matterare stored by taking a page as the unit. In converting character data toa dot pattern, for example, at this time, the character pattern storage56 is referred to. Lastly, dot pattern data of the printed matter storedin the page data storage 55 are transferred to the printing apparatus57. By a printing mechanism in the printing apparatus 57, dot patterndata are printed on paper. The printed matter is thus obtained.

By thus providing the combined forms data generation intermediateprocessing buffer 54, generating forms data having a combination ofcomponent placement information and component data, and generating dotpattern data corresponding to printed matter for one page by using thecombined forms data, and number of accesses to the forms data groupstorage 52 for the purpose of searching component data can be reduced,resulting in a higher efficiency of form printing processing.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating generation processing of combined formsdata in the combined forms data generation intermediate processingbuffer. In order to cope with a plurality of kinds of forms, three kindsof component placement information, i.e., component placementinformation I, component placement information II and componentplacement information III are already stored in the forms data groupstorage 52 as component placement information 52a. Further, as component52b selected by them, four kinds of component data, i.e., component Adata, component B data, component C data and component D data arealready stored.

In the combined forms data generation intermediate processing buffer,combined forms data 60, which has component placement information 52aassociated with component data 52b and which has already been subjectedto intermediate processing, is synthesized and stored. This combinedforms data 60 is formed by taking printed matter for one page of eachpage as the unit. For example, combined forms data corresponding to theprinted matter I is prescribed by the component placement information I.However, each component data such as component A data, component C dataor component D data so selected and specified by the component placementinformation I as to be used is combined with the component placementinformation I and stored as combined forms data 61. In the same way,combined forms data 62 for the printed matter II has a combination ofthe component placement information II, the component B data, componentC data and component D data. Combined forms data 63 has a combination ofthe component placement information III, the component A data, componentB data and component C data. The combined forms data 62 and the combinedforms data 63 are stored.

Instead of respective component data themselves, storage addresses ofcomponent data in the forms data group storage (52 of FIG. 5) may becombined in the combined forms data 60. Thereby the amount of data isreduced. Which components are to be used for the printed matter I isdetermined by identifiers of component names specified in the componentplacement information I. When dot patterns are to be generated by takinga page as the unit, combined forms data 60 stored in the combined formsdata intermediate processing buffer are consecutively processed bytaking a page as the unit.

In printing the component placement information and component data, thiseliminates processing of referring to the forms data group storage andimproves the efficiency of form printing processing.

Variants of the printing control method according to the presentembodiment and other embodiments will now be described. First of all, avariant in which variable data are associated with individual componentdata included in the forms data will be described.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure in casevariable data are so set as to be associated with individual componentdata included in the forms data.

In printing data 70, a placement selection section 71 for specifyingcomponent placement of the form and a variable data group 72 serving asvariable data are provided. The variable data group 72 can be soconfigured that variable data segment A, variable data segment B,variable data segment C and variable data segment D (hereafter simplyreferred to as variable data A, B, C and D, respectively) respectivelyassociated with component data of the form may be set as respective datasegments of the above described variable data group 72. In this case,individual variable data A corresponding to the component A, forexample, has a variable data name 73 and a variable data section 74which is a variable data main body section. In the variable data name73, an identifier A indicating the association with the component A, forexample, is specified. In the variable data section 74, data includingcharacters, graphic data and picture data to be inserted into fixed dataA (29 of FIG. 2) such as ruled line frames in the component A are set.

As for allocation specification of variable data A herein, the variabledata A is so allocated as to correspond to the component A. In the sameway as the allocation of the component A, therefore, allocation isspecified by relative position specification from the origin located atthe leftmost top end. In this case, the origin of allocation is locatedat the leftmost top end of the region in the component A.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a technique forallocating variable data a in the component A.

In this example, information of an area for allocating individualvariable data a to the inside of the component A is included in thecomponent data A. In this case, area definition information 81 definingan area for allocating characters, graphic data, picture data, etc.included in the variable data A is so provided as to be included in thecomponent data A as shown in FIG. 8. In the area definition information81, an area definition information data length 82 for indicating thedata length of data defining one area, an area identifier 83 forassociating data ("sun" shown in FIG. 8) allocated to the inside of thatarea with the area, and an area position 84 for specifying an allocationposition within the area component are included. In data 85 for oneindividual area included in the variable data a, there are set a datalength 86 indicating the data length of data allocated to that area, anarea identifier 87 for associating an area to be allocated with areadata, and area data ("sun") 88 to be allocated to the area. At the timeof printing, the area data 88 having the same area data identifier 87 asthe area identifier 83 of the area definition information 81 isallocated to the inside of the component in accordance with relativeposition coordinate values (u, v) of the area position 84.

Specifying of the area position is a relative specifying with respect tothe allocation data included in the component A from the allocationorigin 89. Even if selection and indication of component placementinformation are changed with the component placement selectioninformation included in the printing data and the allocation position ofthe component in the page is changed, therefore, it is not necessary tochange the allocation specifying of the variable data a to be printed inthe component.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of a technique forallocating variable data a in the component A.

In this example, information of an area for allocating individualvariable data a to the inside of the component A is included in thevariable data A. In this case as well, allocation specifying of variabledata a is performed by a relative specifying of the component A from theallocation origin 91. The variable a includes a data length 93 forindicating the data length of data 92 for one area allocated to thatarea, an area position 94 for specifying the allocation position in thecomponent of the area, and area data 95 allocated to the area. In thiscase as well, the variable data a is specified relatively in thecomponent A in the same way as the case of FIG. 8. Even if theallocation position of the component in the page is changed, therefore,it is not necessary to change the allocation specifying of the variabledata a. Therefore, each component data can be handled independently.

As described with reference to the above described embodiment, printingdata includes a placement selection section for specifying and componentplacement of the form and a variable data group serving as variabledata. In this case, a plurality of forms can be specified by providing aplurality of placement selection information pieces in the placementselection section of the printing data. Further, by making eachcomponent placement selection information include specification of thenumber of copies, printing control with the specified number of sheetsof printed matter for each form can be exercised.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of printing data setting in caseprinting control is exercised with the specified number of sheets ofprinted matter for each form. FIG. 10 shows an example of printing datasetting performed in case printing control is exercised under thecondition that the number of sheets is 3 for the printing matter I, 2for the printed matter II, and 1 for the printed matter III, andcombined forms data are specified by respective component placementinformation pieces and component data of common form element. In orderto obtain respective printed matters shown in the right half of FIG. 10,component placement selection information P, component placementselection information Q, and component placement selection information Rare set in a placement selection section 101 of printing data 100. Thecomponent placement selection information P specifies an identifier I ina component placement information specifying section for specifyingwhich component placement information in the forms data group is to beused and specifies that the number of copies be 3 when that componentplacement information is used. Thereby three sheets 102 are printed forthe printed matter I. That is to say, the component placementinformation I is used as a result of specifying in the identifier I andprinting is performed with the number of copy sheets defined as three.As for the printed matter II and the printed matter III as well,component placement information is specified in accordance with anidentifier II of component placement selection information Q and anidentifier III of component placement selection information R,respectively, and printing is performed with respective numbers of copysheets. In this way, a plurality of component placement selectioninformation pieces including specifying of the numbers of copy sheetsare set in the placement selection section 101 within the printing data100 and processed successively. As a result, a plurality of printedmatters can be printed with respective desired numbers of copy sheets solong as the printing control apparatus receives one printing data once.

Heretofore, the present invention has been concretely described byreferring to embodiments. However, it is a matter of course that thepresent invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, butvarious changes can be made without departing from the true spirit ofthe invention.

In accordance with the present invention as heretofore described, agroup of forms data for specifying the printing form includes componentdata of components of form elements and component placement informationprescribing placement of respective components, and combined forms datais obtained by selecting and specifying only component placementinformation by means of printing data, printing being made possible. Inthis case, component placement and component combination of printedmatter can be changed without changing the forms data group by changingonly the component placement information, and hence the efficiency ofthe form change processing is improved.

Further, by associating components with printing data to be printed onthe components, changes of printing data can be made unnecessary even ifcomponent placement in printed matter is changed. Therefore, printingdata change processing attendant upon a change in component placementcan be easily coped with. Since all components used in a plurality ofcombined forms data can be included in one forms data group withoutoverlapping, there is obtained the effect of reducing the forms datacapacity of the printing control apparatus and of using storagesefficiently.

We claim:
 1. A printing control method combining print data and formdata and outputting the thus combined data, the method comprising thesteps of:a) storing in a memory respective component data, which areunit elements constituting the form data; b) storing in said memory aplurality of form data generating information, which includes componentidentification information and component allocation information for eachpage, said component identification information being information foridentifying one or more component data to be used as form data for apage and said component allocation information being information forindicating where said component data are to be allocated or placed ontothe page; c) reading from said memory one of said form data generatinginformation designated by selection information from a host computer;(d) reading from said memory said component data indicated by saidcomponent identification information included in said form datagenerating information read out from said memory; e) generating formdata for one page by allocating or placing said component data onto saidpage in accordance with component allocation information included insaid form data generating information read out from said memory; and f)combining said form data generated and said print data together andoutputting the combined data.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein said component allocation information includes componentplacement information for indicating intra-page positions of componentsand said step d) of generating form data includes allocating or placingthe components onto the page in accordance with the component placementinformation.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said componentallocation information includes a factor of magnifying/reducingcomponent data and the step d) of generating form data includesallocating said component data after effecting a process ofmagnifying/reducing said component data in accordance with saidmagnifying/reducing factor.
 4. The method according to claim 1, whereinsaid component allocation information includes information specifying anangle of rotation of component data and said step d) of generating formdata includes allocating said component data after rotating saidcomponent data in accordance with said rotation angle information. 5.The method according to claim 1, wherein said print data includes apiece of print data which is stored in association with a correspondingcomponent data among component data contained in form data generatinginformation specified at the time of printing and the step e) ofcombining form data and print data includes combining said piece ofprint data stored in association with said corresponding component datawith said corresponding component data within the printing area of saidcorresponding component data.
 6. The method according to claim 1,wherein said print data includes a piece of print data which containsprint position specifying data for specifying a position in the page atwhich printing is to take place and said step e) of combining form dataand print data includes combining said piece of print data with the formdata at said position indicated by said piece of print data.
 7. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein said designation by form datagenerating information includes information regarding the number of copysheets onto which form data are to be printed successively for each formdata and said step d) of generating form data includes generating theform data by the designated number of copy sheets successively.
 8. Amethod for generating form data, comprising the steps of:a) storing in amemory respective component data, which are unit elements constitutingthe form data; b) storing, for each form data, in said memory: (1) anidentifier identifying form data, (2) component identificationinformation, and (3) component allocation information, in a manner inwhich said identifier, said component identification information andsaid component allocation information are associated with each other,said component identification information being information foridentifying one or more component data to be used as form data and saidcomponent allocation information being information for indicating wheresaid component data identified by said component identificationinformation are to be allocated or placed; c) reading from said memory,in response to designation of one of said identifier, said componentidentification information and said component allocation informationassociated with said designated identifier; d) reading from said memorysaid component data indicated by said component identificationinformation read out from said memory; and e) generating said form databy allocating or placing said component data in accordance with saidcomponent allocation information read out from said memory.
 9. Themethod according to claim 8, wherein said component allocationinformation includes component placement information for indicatingintra-page positions of components and said step d) of generating formdata includes allocating or placing the components onto the page inaccordance with the component placement information.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 8, wherein said component allocation informationincludes a factor of magnifying/reducing component data and the step d)of generating form data includes allocating said component data aftereffecting a process of magnifying/reducing said component data inaccordance with said magnifying/reducing factor.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 8, wherein said component allocation informationincludes information specifying an angle of rotation of component dataand said step d) of generating form data includes allocating saidcomponent data after rotating said component data in accordance withsaid rotation angle information.
 12. The method according to claim 8,wherein said designation by the identifier for form data to be generatedincludes information regarding the number of copy sheets onto which formdata are to be printed successively for each form data and said step d)of generating form data includes generating the form data by thedesignated number of copy sheets successively.
 13. The method accordingto claim 8, further comprising the step of outputting the form datagenerated in step d) to an output device for displaying a formrepresented by the form data.
 14. A printer controller coupled to a hostcomputer and a printer, for outputting form data designated by said hostcomputer to said printer, the controller comprising:a) first store meansfor storing respective component data, which are unit elementsconstituting form data; b) second store means for storing form datagenerating information which includes component identificationinformation and component allocation information for each page, saidcomponent identification information being information for identifyingone or more component data to be used as form data for a page and saidcomponent allocation information being information for indicating wheresaid component data are to be allocated or placed onto the page; c)processing means, responsive to a selection information from said hostcomputer which designate one of said form data generating information,for reading from said second store means said component identificationinformation and said component allocation information associated withsaid form data generating information for reading from said first storemeans said component data indicated said component identificationinformation read out from said second store means, for generating formdata by allocating said component data onto the form data in accordancewith said component allocation information read out from said secondstore means, and for outputting the generated form data to said printer.15. The printer controller according to claim 14, wherein said componentplacement information indicates intra-page positions of components, andfurther comprising means for allocating or placing the components ontothe page in accordance with the component placement information.
 16. Theprinter controller according to claim 14, wherein said form data groupincludes a factor of magnifying/reducing component data and furthercomprising means for effecting a process of magnifying/reducing saidcomponent data in accordance with said magnifying/reducing factor. 17.The printer controller according to claim 14, wherein said form datagroup includes information specifying an angle of rotation of componentdata and further comprising means for rotating said component data inaccordance with said rotation angle information.
 18. The printercontroller according to claim 14, wherein form data group includes apiece of print data which is stored in association with a correspondingcomponent data among component data contained in the generated form dataoutput by the processing means to the printer and further comprisingmeans for instructing said printer to combine said piece of print datastored in association with said corresponding component with thecorresponding component data within the printing area of saidcorresponding component data.
 19. The printer controller according toclaim 14, wherein said form data group includes a piece of print datawhich contains print position specifying data for specifying a positionin the page at which printing is to take place and further comprisingmeans for instructing the printer to combine said piece of print datawith the form data generated by the processor means at said positionindicated by said piece of print data.
 20. The printer controlleraccording to claim 14, wherein said designation of form data from saidhost computer includes information regarding the number of copy sheetsonto which form data are to be printed successively for each form dataand further comprising means for generating the form data by thedesignated number of copy sheets successively.
 21. A printing controlmethod combining print data and form data and outputting the thuscombined data, the method comprising the steps of:a) storing in a memorya form data group including component data, which are unit elementsconstituting form data and component placement information, whichindicate where said component data are to be allocated onto respectiveform data; b) reading from said memory, responsive to a designation ofform data from a host computer, said component data and said componentplacement information; c) reading from the memory form data generatinginformation in accordance with designation by a host computer; d)generating form data by allocating said component data onto said formdata in accordance with component allocation information; and e)combining said generated form data and said print data and outputtingthe combined data to a printer.